US SOCCER HAS ARRIVED

U.S. soccer has arrived. No question about it. The team has distinguished itself.

What made me a believer was what I viewed at Roostica last night while having dinner. The TVs were on. The game playing. Each time the U.S. team did something good, the people jumped up and cheered. The same reaction I experienced three years ago at an outdoor cafe in Athens while watching Greece play in a European soccer tournament.

When I was a youngster, there was no soccer. We knew nothing about it. Everything was baseball and football. When I was a young lawyer in Utica, I noticed that some immigrants had created a make shift field just outside the city limits and were playing soccer. I thought at the time the game would never fly. How wrong I was!

My compliments to the U.S. team. They distinguished themselves. They also garnered respect for their country.

When I woke yesterday, I thought I would be tired and achy all day from my exercise routine on monday, I was not. First time the day after was ok. I must be making progress. I go again this morning. I hope I am in as good shape tomorrow as I was yesterday.

A good show last night! I love doing blog talk radio!

The Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision disturbed me. It was wrong. I chatted about the case for half the show. This corporate person thing the Court has relied on in the Hobby case and a couple of years ago in Citizens United is neither good nor proper.

What of the rights of the Hobby Lobby employees who are being denied their right not to have their religious beliefs infringed upon? They may find abortive contraceptives not inconsistent with their beliefs. In the end, the Court gave deference to the five people owning the company over the 7,000-8,000 female employees Hobby Lobby has.

There is a bit of hypocrisy involved also. Hobby Lobby sells toys. Most the toys are purchased in China. A China that has a one baby per family limit, recommends contraception, and mandates forced abortion whenever there is a second pregnancy.

Hobby Lobby should buy their toys elsewhere. Or is money the compelling factor? Perhaps they cannot buy them as cheap elsewhere. Religion appears not to come into play on their part as regards China purchases.

One other consideration. When our forefathers wrote the Constitution, they were concerned with people having the right to be whatever they wanted. Whether Calvinist, Puritan, a Knox follower, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Catholic, Jew, or what have you. Sperm, the egg, the uterine wall, a woman’s vagina…..none of these things came into consideration. I believe we have gone many steps too far as regards Constitutionally protected religious rights.

Additionally, the framers of the Constitution did not appear to intend nor did they spell out one person’s right to impose his/her religious beliefs on another. And that is precisely what Hobby Lobby does.

Olivia de Havilland turned 98 yesterday. A beautiful woman when a young actress. A beautiful woman in her senior years. She played the younger sister in Gone With the Wind and Maid Mariam in Errol Flynn’s The Adventures Of Robin Hood. She also won two Academy awards.

The gym at 11. Albert is Dracula in gym clothes.

Enjoy your day!

WRITING

I am writing. Besides the blog.

I have been writing off and on for several years. I do something on the computer. Then bury it in a document folder. Where the writings remain buried!

I am writing anew and resurrecting some of the old. I am reviewing and revising.

I promise to publish at least one book by year end. For real.

Spent yesterday morning working on last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The program was devoted to a Nazi party’s rise to power in Greece in recent years. Evidenced by blackshirts, a youth movement, a flag with a somewhat familiar swastika, the Nazi salute, police and courts friendly with the blackshirts, beatings in the streets, certain commercial stores with large Xs on windows and Do Not Shop Here signs, anti-Jewish sayings and songs, and more.

History is repeating itself in Greece. I am bothered that the world seems unaware and/or does not care.

Plato and Socrates would think ill of what is occurring. Their heads would hang in shame seeing what is happening in the land where democracy was born.

The rise of Nazism is an important issue. At least from my perspective. I plan on devoting a significant portion of Friday’s television/internet show to the issue. Join me. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. Via Comcast from Key West to Miami. www.tvchannel19.com. Available world wide on the internet. www.weyw19.com. The show is You Tubed also and available 24 hours a day for viewing.

I spent a portion of yesterday writing. Rough drafted two short stories.

Sloan worked with me for a while mid-afternoon.

Grabbed a quick dinner at the new pizzeria on Stock island. The special was chicken parmagian over spaghetti. Way too much food for me! I left bloated!

Bocce begins tomorrow night. A new season. Hooray!

I had planned to practice before this season began. I need to learn how to blast. As usual, never got to doing it. I will have to depend on my partner Frankie for assistance in that regard.

A lovely day! Magnificent1 I cannot wait to get out.

Enjoy your day!

TRATTORIAS NO MORE

Thirty five years ago, I visited Italy for a month. Trattorias all over the place. A not too pricey Italian restaurant. Good food.

This trip I discovered restaurants called trattorias are a thing of the past. I saw a total of two in my travels through Milan, Novara, and Courmayeur.

The former trattorias have been relabeled/renamed. Ristorante is one. The other Ristorante and Pizzeria.

Pizza definitely has come into its own. Restaurants serve a whole pizza. That is the only way a pizza can be ordered. One to a person. The customers eat them up. Every morsel. Italians leave nothing on the plate. I ate at a Ristorante and Pizzeria tonight. actually called E.T.’s Ristorante and Pizzeria. While I was enjoying a pasta dish at my table, the couple at the one next to me each devoured a whole pizza. All done with white tablecloth and napkins.

Carmelo and his brothers came to Key West many years ago. They opened La Trattoria on Duval Street. They made the restaurant a fantastic success. Then sold it. If Carmelo and his brothers were opening a new Italian restaurant today, no question in my mind they would call it a Ristorante.

Wi fi has been a problem throughout my travels in Italy and France. Very few establishments have wi fi available to customers. Whereas in Greece, wi fi was available all over the place.

I spent a good chunk of yesterday afternoon sitting at an outdoor café in Courmayer. I enjoyed the ambiance and view. I came to the conclusion that the men of Courmayeur have trophy wives or trophy girl friends.

I have fallen behind in posting photos. Tomorrow comes the deluge.

I mentioned the beggars I saw in Athens. Thought they were the worst ever. Several have written and said in effect they had seen beggars in the United States. Even in Key West. What in effect was the big deal?

I took the comments to heart together with what my eyes had seen on the streets of Athens. There is substantial difference between “begging” in the United States and begging in Greece. A world of difference. Ergo, I have to dispute those who disagree with me. No problem in not agreeing with me. A problem exists however if a person disagrees without having first hand knowledge of the facts.

If a person has not seen with their own eyes the beggars on the streets of Athens, such persons are in no position to dispute my observation. Not because you were not there. Rather because you do not know what you are talking about.

I say such with all due respect. It’s the lawyer in me.

Let me help the situation a bit. I decided to write an extensive article on the issue. I titled it The Beggars of Athens. It will appear in this week’s KONK Life as my column of the week. The issue will be published thursday. Dig it up on the internet and read it. I guarantee you will find it revealing.

If you still disagree with me after reading the article, so be it. We have a legitimate difference of opinion regardless of how the opinion was arrived at.

Go to KONKLife.com. Select the edition you wish to read. Leaf through it to find my article.

In 48 hours, I will be sleeping in my bed in Key West. I am ready to return. I miss family and friends big time.

Enjoy your day!

BEGGARS…..SICK DOES NOT DESCRIBE

Athens has street beggars. On its most commercial street. Immediately below the Parliament building.

I walked there yesterday. Within the first four blocks, I saw five beggars.

The first three were elderly women. Marked by the absence of teeth. One or two hanging, otherwise gums. One woman was seated in the middle of the street. The street was closed off to vehicular traffic. The other two walked up to me. Each holding a a cup in hand and saying something in Greek that I could not understand. Their intent was clear, however…..Help me!

The next two were male. One without feet and the other without arms.

The one without feet was the easier of the two to handle. He was sitting with his back up against a building. His feet were missing from just above the ankles.

The armless one was gut wrenching.

I saw this man sitting on the curb. He was missing one arm from just below the shoulder. The other from just above the elbow. His arm remnants were extended. One sort of up, the shorter one at about a 25 degree angle.

At first, I thought the man was a statue. He did not seem to move. I went into a nearby doorway to observe him. He was human. He was alive. His abbreviated limbs moved on occasion. Though, slightly.

His face was disgusting. He must have been the victim of an explosion or fire. Tan and yellow skinned. Hanging flesh. His head was almost completely bald. He did have a tuft of hair on the back. Sticking straight up.

I returned to observe him closely. At a respectable distance.

His eyes. At first I thought him blind. His eyes were both to one direction and looking upward. Not moving. Then, moved slightly. He may have been of limited vision.

Clothe in rags. A small bowl in front of him for contributions.

We do not see this in the United States. Fortunately. Begging has always been a part of Greek society. It amazes me that the Greek government has never done something to help these people. Even in better economic times.

I ended up taking the longest walk of my trip. It was not intended. It just happened. I walked to the plaka. At its entrance to the side, I observed a large sign. Athens Flea Market. Why not!

The flea market was extensive. Long. Like the winding alleys of the Casbah. Once in, it was hard to find the way out. I just kept walking.

Finally, I found a side street leading directly into one of the main plaka streets. The one on the Rockefeller side, the poor side. I walked it to the bitter end. First time.

On the way back, I stopped at an outdoor café to rest. It was boiling hot. Parts of my shirt soaking wet.

I enjoyed a draft beer and observed.

I was seated with the building the Rockefeller Foundation had paid to reconstruct 500 feet to the front of me. Massive. Sits at the base of Acropolis. To my back was an archeological digging. A pretty good sized one. Many persons working. Excavating a community hidden for centuries beneath the ground. Houses, rooms and old pathways could be observed.

I also got to observe business done the Greek way. There are street hustlers everywhere. Peddling their goods to tourists. One was walking around with a handful of men’s wrist watches. He was negotiating the price with a tourist. Turned out to be a young American. The peddler wanted 20 euros for one. The American said no and counter offered. By the time the transaction was over, the American walked away with 2 watches for 10 euros.

It made me wonder. Could the watches be for real? They looked good. But at that price? I suspect the watches were devoid of innards to make them work. Or, were stolen goods and therefore any price was a profitable one.

I stopped into the Rockefeller renovated building. Sort of a museum. Saw a baby’s high chair estimated to have been built some 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. Nothing much changed in design from then to now.

Last night was a disappointment. I ate at the same café I had eaten at 4 weeks ago in the plaka. I had a terrific meal at the time. Went back for another one. Ordered the exact same thing. Even had the same waiter. Grilled egg plant and a dish of assorted grilled meats.

The meal sucked! It was terrible!

Such is life.

Enjoy your day!

ATHENS LAST NIGHT

Athens is a 25 minute flight from Santorini. I had to wait 45 minutes to get my luggage. Amazing!

Nikos drove me to the Santorini airport. What a guy!

I noticed on the drive into Athens from the airport that there were a lot of police cars. The cab driver told me it was because Italy’s Prime Minister Enrico Letta was in town to meet with the Greek hierarchy.

For some reason, I was not in the mood for plaka last night. My usual Athens night time haunt. I walked in the other direction. Ended up at the Grande Bretagne. I had tried to get a room there when planning the trip. One of the world’s great hotels. I was told there were no available rooms.

There were a lot of policemen outside the Grande Bretagne. Inside, I had to go through security. Like in an airport. I sensed Letta might be staying there. I would not ask, however. Greece makes me uncomfortable on occasion.

I enjoyed a superior evening at the Grande Bretagne! Even better than that!

I started at the bar. I was drinking Beefeaters. During my talk with the bartender, he asked if I had ever tried Beefeaters’ 24 Gin. It is Beefeaters top of the line. Forget never having drunk it, I had never heard of it. I wonder how many of you have.

In any event, I tried a glass. I did not like it. It had a perfumey bouquet like Bombay Saphire.

I decided to eat something. It was around 11 in the evening. I had not eaten since brfeakfast. I took a small intimate table just outside the bar area.

I ordered bruschetta. Three different types were served on vertical slices of a French type bread. One salmon, another mozzarella and tomato. The third was a vegetable of some sort. I susect zucchini crushed into an oily dressing. The whole thing to die for!

There was a piano player. Seated at a large baby grand. He played only American songs. He caught my ear with My Way. Later, his rendition of the theme from the Godfather blew me out.

There I was seated in absolute beauty enjoying excellent food and entertainment.

I thought how lucky I was.

The room. The Grande Bretagne is a distinguished old hotel. The bar area where I was seated is on the side of a huge high ceilinged dining area. Columns to the sky. Paintings. Antique furniture pieces. A physical heaven.

The Germans desecrated the Grande Bretagne with their presence during World War II. High ranking German officers occupied the hotel for living purposes. Offices were maintained in the building, also. I could envision German officers enjoying the room then as I was last night. A shame.

When I left, I had to pass through the crowd of police. I made it out just in time. I was 25 feet from the hotel when the sirens came blasting. Cars drove up. Four abreast. The street is extremely wide. Brakes screeched.

It was the man!

Italy’s Prime Minister Letta was staying at the Grande Bregtagne. He hopped out of his limo, gave a wave to everyone around, and entered the hotel. He had his jacket slung across his arm, no tie and his sleeves rolled up. Gave the impression he had been working. Some one told me that is his trade mark. No jacket or tie, sleeves rolled up.

I recently read that when ever Obama travels anywhere, like 200 staff and protection persons travel with him. The cars he will use are transported by plane, also. It made it easy for me to understand the retinue of cars stopping and people following the Prime Minister into the hotel.

There are two type police in downtown Athens these days. One official. The other unofficial, but tolerated. The usual police and members of the New Dawn Party. The New Dawn Party is the Nazi type political party gaining power on an increasing basis every day. The New Dawn members wore black and both walked and rode mopeds. Young good looking strong appearing individuals. I saw them out and about last night. In three different places. They travel in groups.

There was some sort of demonstration yesterday in front of the New Dawn headquarters in downtown Athens. Near Parliament. The party memebrs played the Nazi National Anthem. The very same one banned in Germany since World War II. During the demonstration, New Dawn handed out free food to whoever needed it. Not a hot dog. Bags of food. Families have a hard time getting enough food to eat in Greece these days.

Immigrants are the Jews of yesterday. The New Dawn Party blames them for Greece’s economic problems. Each person receiving food first had to establish he/she was not an immigrant.

I cannot wait to walk the streets of Athens today. Greece is an interesting and increasingly dangerous place.

Enjoy your day!

I’M GREEKED OUT!

I’m Greeked out! I am ready to move on. This does not mean I do not like Greece. It just means I have experienced it all for this year and boredom is starting to set in.

My time in Greece was extended from originally planned. I sensed something happening in Greece the first week I was here. I wanted to verify my feelings. My plans were juggled to permit me to extended my Greece time by two weeks. Whatever I wanted to accomplish has been accomplished. In my mind. My thoughts to be shared when I return.

For me, Greece is three islands and Athens.

Athens is pure love. It is one of the world’s great cities. Like New York, Paris, and London. What is there not to like? My return to Athens is for three nights. Then to the Italian alps. A Swiss chalet half way up Mont Blanc. Within an hour’s drive to Switzerland and France.

The three islands I have come to know are Mykonos, Santorini, and Amorgos. Mykonos has the best beaches. Santorini the best view. Amorgos the best wind. Amorgos also has the promise of tomorrow.

I spent two weeks in Mykonos last year. Ten days planned and four extra days because I could not get a ferry boat out due to the bad seas. I did not like Mykonos. Ergo, it was not on the agenda this year.

Mykonos became famous back in the 1950s and 1960s. Movie stars and jet setters popularized the place. It became their playland. 2013 is 50-60 years later. Mykonos still has the reputation. However, there is not a movie star or jet setter on the island. It has become a tourist haven. Wannabes looking for the excitement of yesterday. Additionally, a tourist trap. Merchants hustle everyone. Friendliness lacking.

Therein lie the reasons I did not return to Mykonos this year.

Mykonos does have one non-comparable attribute, however. Its beaches. The best I have ever seen. Soft sand. Quiet water. Great beach bars and restaurants. Plus, topless and nude women. The women merely frosting on the cake. The beaches are that good.

Santorini has a view that is spectacular. Absolutely spectacular! The Lord could not have planned it better. The cave apartments also add to the ambiance. However, you cannot sit on a cave terrace and watch the view all day every day. That is where the problem comes in. After a volcano visit and catamaran trip, there is little to do.

Santorini is becoming a tourist haven. Most merchants on the hustle. Waiters disrespectful. Food not always the best. Prices very expensive. Note however there are still many places and people to the contrary. Such as the Taverna Katina and my cave apartment landlords Nikos and Maria.

Santorini is still good. I fear however it is becoming the tourist trap that Mykonos is.

Amorgos is like a five year old child. On the verge of blooming. It awaits the world.

The island is yet to be discovered. As I have stated in the past, it is a 100 years behind the times. Sitting on the Aegean, waiting for the world to visit it. Prices still dramatically cheap. Anywhere from 50 to 100 per cent cheaper than Mykonos and Santorini. The merchants love you and you love them. They care for you, are thankful for your business, and do their best to please you.

The beaches leave something to be desired. Stoney beaches. Water clear, however. Think Le Grand Bleu.

Amorgos has the wind! A big wind! Kept Katopola where I was staying comfortable all day. A strong cool wind off the sea is almost a necessity of life on a Greek isle in the summer months.

My sense is that Amorgos will be where Santorini is today 20 years from now. Sad. Enjoy it in the meantime.

I spent four hours yesterday morning at the internet store. First correcting my messed up blog from the day before, then doing yesterday’s blog, and finally writing next week’s KONK Life column. The article is interesting. The Real America. It starts with Michael Moore. Then goes from Travon Martin to Obama to Bank of America to the Religious Right to Pat Robertson to Halliburton. The column closes with Weiner and Spitzer. A revealing commentary in many respects. Some things you may not have known.

Lunch was at Mezzo. A chocolate milk shake again. I am a little boy at heart.

Later this afternoon, I start the trek to Athens. Tonight the Plaka. Dinner at the foot of a lighted Acropolis and Parthenon.

I will be in Athens three nights.

The family and I are in touch. Jake is getting car sick. Just from a short ride around town.

Enjoy your day!

GREAT SUNRISE

I was lucky this morning. I woke just as the sun was breaking over the horizon. Just me, open water and the sun. Magnificent!

Yesterday was Sunday. Turned out to be an odd ball day for me. I had a business project to complete. Thought it would take an hour or two. Took all day.

The only time I left the house was to have Sunday dinner with Lisa and the family. Corey is growing a beard. Looks good. Robert is into baseball. Has a first baseman’s mitt and a hard ball. Ally could care less about anything.

A superb meal! Dessert the best. Crumb cake by Lisa.

I spent ten days on Amorgos. I would like to spend ten years. As you will recall, the only way in and out was the once a week boat. I obviously took it.

My goal was to get to Athens. Not easy. Although only one boat ride. the trip took nine hours. The boat was a local. It stopped at every small island on the way to Athens. Five hours into the trip and I was still within 50 miles of Amorgos.

I got on the boat at 6 in the morning. It was dark. Four of us.

Coming to Amorgos, I rode tourist class. Packed in like sardines. if you think nine across on an airplane is bad, how about thirty. Ten, ten and ten. I learned there was a business class. Business class is first class on the boat. I went business class.

It was well worth it!

The trip was not bad. I actually enjoyed it.

Business class consisted of a huge room on top of the boat. Well done. Service. All kinds of amenities, food and drink. Enjoyed breakfast. A drink or two. Lunch. A chocolate ice cream soda. An occasional coffee. I slept on and off. Actually slept most of the way. Missed some terrific sights I was told. Business class was surrounded with huge windows offering a view of everything.

There are only three photos of the nine hour trip. All are of me sleeping.

The three photos are shared with you this morning. Scroll down.

Enjoy your day!

I NEED A DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

My patience is being tried!

I continue to be inept at posting the trip photos. Sloan just left. I think we have it down to a science now. I am doing tomorrow’s post (Wednesday’s) Tuesday evening. I want to make sure I have it all correct.

You will first read this blog. Then three sets of photos should appear. Novara, Athens and Santorini. In that order. Athens should be after Santorini. However, it printed out in that order and I could not change it.

My grandchildren Robert and Ally could probably do what I have not been able to do here.

Let me share with you some background re the Athens photos.

I loved Athens! Santorini was best for the view. Athens for the lifestyle. There was a constant electricity in the air. Athens reminded me of New York City. Its old town Plaka the Village of yesteryear.

I spent several days in Athens near the beginning of my trip. Three days near the end.

Athens is civilization. First, a today civilization. After my time on the islands, I could not wait to return to Athens for a few days of civilization. A fancy hotel, an ok bathroom, a huge shower and tub. Amenities that were not available while I was island hopping.

Athens is also the home of civilization. The Acropolis, the Parthenon, Hadrian’s Library, etc. All before even Christ. The quality of the construction amazed me. Stone buildings as good as any that could be built today. Perfection in every detail. The homes and buildings also had a water supply and sewage disposal.

Plaka is an adult playground. It is the old part of Athens. Restauants and shops galore. Day and night. Bustling all the time.

There are 9 photos in the Athens grouping.

The first is me standing below Acropolis and Parthenon. To my right in the picture is a long road I had just walked up. Almost 2 miles at a 30 degree angle. My ass was dragging when this picture was taken.

The next photo is me higher up. I am almost to the end of the steps leading into Acropolis and Parthenon.

The finest (and most expensive) restauant in Athens is Dionysos. In this photo, I am seated at the dinner table. Outside.

The next photo explains one of the reasons why Dionysos was so expensive. I am standing in front of the restaurant. It is evening and dark. Behind me high on a hill lit up is Acropolis and Parthenon. From where I sat in the previous photo, I had a clear and unobstructed view of the buildings some two miles away high on a hill. Thrilling!

Welcome to Plaka. The next pic.

I was frequnetly tired. The next photo is me enjoying an afternoon drink in the Plaka. I was there for the chair more than the booze.

The next photo is me enjoying a night time drink in the Plaka. Plaka was the fun part of Athens.

The next photo represents a part of today’s news. I am standing across the street from Parliamwent. Thousands today demonstrated in front of that building and on the street where I stood. Tens of thousands. The news has already reported today that tear gas, stun grenades and molotov cocktails played a part in the protests. All because of German Chancellor Merkel’s visit. I said in this morning’s blog she would not be welcomed. I anticipated disturbances. They occurred.

Greeks frequently protest. They are an emotional people. A couple of years ago, they demonstrated for some reason I cannot recall. The hotel step my foot is on and all the steps going into the hotel were ripped out by the demonstrators.

The last photo is a view of Parliament from my hotel balcony. Visualize the thousands of people surrounding the building today.

During the last few days of the Athens portion of my trip, I stayed at the Gran Britagne Hotel. I never took a pic of it. All I can provide you is the balcony railing in the last photo. I mention the hotel specifically because of its history. The building is absolutely elegant. The service outstanding. I even had my own butler! During World war II, the Germans threw the hotel operation out and used the Gran Britagne Hotel as their general headquarters.

Enough. I need a drink. I am on my way out.

Enjoy your day!

SANTORINI PICS / MERKEL VISIT DANGEROUS

Photo problem resolved. Lost Novara pics found. Thanks to Sloan. Today, Novara and Santorini.

The photos will appear following each day’s blog. Just scroll down and up will come Novara first and then Santorini.

Santorini was spectacular! No other way top describe it. God’s gift to man! I was taken with the beauty of the island.

Santorini is located in the southern Aegean sea. The remnant of a volvanic explosion.

Santorini was one island. 3,600 years ago a volcano on the island erupted. To better place the explosion in time, 1,500 years before the birth of Christ.

It was a volcanic explosion to beat all explosions. The eruption broke the island into several smaller islands.

The volcano still exists. I will be showing pics of it when the volcano photos are published. The volcano is still hot. A devastating explosion occurred as recently as 1956.

A recent scientific article suggested that another eruption is imminent. The chamber below the top is building up with lava. It is ready to go. When I visited the volcano, I could see steam coming up through the rocks. Sometimes as close as ten feet from the path I was walking. The article said that in addition to the steam, carbon dioxide was being emitted. Apparently an additional bad sign.

The split off island I stayed on is still referred to as Santorini. There are several towns located on the island. I stayed in Elia. The best place to stay. I traveled all over the island during the ten days I was there. The island towns were typical beach towns found anywhere. Except for Elia. Elia was old Greece in every way from the cave apartments to the buildings to the people.

I have posted nine photos of Santorini.

The first is me sitting in front of my cave apartment. A good shot of the view, also.

The next is me again sitting looking out over the ocean. A magnificent view! The volcano is the black island to the left.

The third photo is of me sitting on the same terrace with my back to the sea.

You will recall that steps were horrible from my perspective. Steps and hills everywhere. Killers. The next pic is of me climbing the stairs from my cave. Followed by another pic showing the end of the steps at the walkway.

Night times were cool. The next photo is of me at night on the walkway wearing a rain jacket. It never rained on the trip. The jacket was the only covering besides shirts and one sweat shirt I brought with me.

Donkeys all over the Greek islands. Not just Santorini. Some people either do not wish or cannot walk up and down the steps. Donkeys are provided to carry them. The next photo is of the donkey steps. The brown spots are donkey dung. Sorry. I failed to take any pics of the donkeys on Santorini.

My favorite restaurant. The Katina! Ate there four nights. The photo is of me and Igor. He waited on me every evening. Not Greek. A Russian. Igor and I became friends. The food absolutely outstanding!

The last photo is of Santorini at sunset. Whether Key West, Santorini or where ever, islands world wide have their special sunsets.

My yesterday consisted of a walk. Then lunch at Blossoms. Cuban cheese toast with tomato, plus a large Cuban coffee. I stopped at Walgreens and the dentist. The dentist for a minor mechanical change to my implants. Visted Lisa.

Cooked a steak for myself in the evening. Then settled in bed to watch the Jets game. At least they scored a couple of touchdowns! The Jets should play Tebow more. They payed a hell of a lot of money to use him only minimally. Tebow is a winner!

The woes of each country are different. Each nation is suffering financial problems. The problems did not arise in similar ways. The road to almost bankruptcy has been different for each.

I am motivated to make the preceding observation because of Romney’s comments regarding Spain yesterday. Now Spain is pissed at him. As are the Brits. Fortunately for Romney, the people of Spain and Great Britan are not voters in the U.S. election.

My recent two month European trip has made me a half assed international expert of sorts. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Athens today. She is meeting with the Greek governement. Probably as I am writing this blog. The purpose of her trip is to show the Greek people that she and Germany are their friends, want to help the Geeks resolve their financial difficulties, etc.

A bad idea. A bad trip. You will recall as I wrote in my blogs when I was in Athens and attended two demonstations, the Greeks hate the Germans. The Greeks spit every time Merkel’s name was mentioned.

Merkel’s primary purpose is to show German support for the austerity efforts the Greek government is imposing on its citizens. So Greece can pay the money it owes to Germany. She is not going to be a popular lady!

Nor is she expected to be. Police have been brought to Athens from every where. Seven thousand will be in Athens during her visit. Some of the police include roof top snipers.

The demonstrations will probably start or take place in front of Parliament. Tomorrow I will be sharing with you my Athens photos. Included are a couple of shots of Parliament.

A reminder again of the address changes for KONK Broadcasting. To watch my friday Internet show: www.konknet.com/tv/personalities. To read my weekly KONK Life column: www.konknet.com/konk-life/contributors.

Remember to scroll down for the Novara and Santorini photos.

Enjoy your day!

DAY 34

I am back in Italy!

Flew to Milan and then was driven the one hour to Novara.

Humid here in Novara. Very. I can understand why Italians run off to the mountains and sea shore in the summer months. They have no air conditioning!

No air for two reasons. The cost of electricity is one. The other is that most of the buildings are so old it would either be too expensive or too difficult to air condition.

Which means I slept with my bedroom window wide open last night. I also had the benefit of two fans. Hopefully I will be on Mount Blanc this evening where humidity will not be a problem. I have been told the fireplace may have to be used. It is that cool in the evening. Makes sense. Mount Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and Europe.

Flew Aegean Air again. A treat! Lovely young attendants, stewardesses, hostesses helping. A great meal. Only a two hour flight. Not much more to tell, except for my chat with two of the working ladies.

They are not called attendants or stewardesses. They are hostesses. The hostesses are all young.

I explained how it all works in the U.S. They could not believe men did their work and what they were called and who performed the work was an issue of gender discrimination.

As to age discrimination, they had never heard of such a thing. They were confident that no way would a mature woman be permitted to do their job.

A different country. Different thoughts and concepts. Interesting.

One thing did not change. Clotheslines and drying clothes. They were evident everywhere on my car ride to Novara. Just as in Greece.

I chatted with some friends last night in Novara. The issue? The euro. What else!

They find this present marriage of sorts between Germany and France strange. The two nations have been fighting for years. They were referring to wars. France generally got kicked good by the Germans. They were unable to understand how the French could now be a junior partner with Germany.

The Italians are really mad at the Greeks. with a fervor that did not exist three weeks ago when I left Italy. They feel the Greeks have spent Italian euro money and did it in a wasteful fashion. I find this amusing since Italy is third from the bottom in this euro crisis. It is just a question of time before Germany starts defecating on them.

I was early to bed. A tired day traveling.

Today hopefully Mount Blanc.

Enjoy your day!